Tuck Shop at School - selling junk food !!

[Ing777]

Hi,

Primary school opened a tuck shop at school. The school is an Academy. The shop has been open for a year now. The shop is open everyday after school but tends to sell sweets, crisps, chocolate bars, juices, drink cans, tea and coffee. During the summer they also sell ice creams ( rocket lollies, magnum, twister, cornetto cones etc). The school has now started doing a breakfast morning before school on one day in the week , every week, where they sell bacon rolls, tea coffee etc. Sometimes after school during the summer they sell hot dogs or they will do a barbecue with burger's etc. They set up the barbecue usually adjacent to the tuck shop. The money raised goes to the Friends Association.

We understand if the school does the odd cake sale etc to raise money but this is now a daily occurrence. Parents are a bit annoyed as this is not promoting healthy eating. Spoken to the Head and governors but nothing seems to change as I think the school is raising a lot of money.

It's difficult to say no to the kids everyday after school.

1)Does anyone know if schools have rules as to what they can /cannot sell in tuck shops?
2)Also, can we complain to any higher authorities about this? If yes to who? As the school is an Academy.

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

We had a tuck shop that sold all that stuff many many years ago. I can't imagine what else they could sell - children are unlikely to buy fruit so it wouldn't make much money!

Do you have a suggestion for replacing the money that will be lost if the tuck shop is closed? Because unless you do, I can't see the head being interested. Ours never was, he thought it delivered important life lessons about moderation and budgeting.

[DonkeyOaty]

Is it run by the Friends, organised and staffed by them?

(Tbh I never found it difficult to say no to my children. Perhaps you could instigate a Friday Treat?)

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

I agree that it is completely ridiculous!! Do they have packed lunch rules? Healthy eating topics on the curriculum? Standards for school dinners?

I would approach the head teacher and the pastoral care leader.

Treats are fine in moderation but I would prefer it to be up to me to make those decisions for my children and to have them offered at school every day is inappropriate. Any counter argument about children learning moderation and budgeting should be pitted against the over all statistics about tooth decay (shocking!), diabetes, obesity etc.

Is there a PTA that runs the tuck shop and BBQ events? Speak to them..

It is a poor argument to suggest that you need to come up with suggestions of how to replace the funds. Rather like saying we can't stop selling arms to terrorists because it contributes to our economy.

[peggyundercrackers]

It's difficult to say no to the kids everyday after school.

erm no its not.

what would you want the tuck shop to sell?

here have a - I'm sure the tuck shop sell these :)

[EarthboundMisfit]

I actually agree that this is ridiculous. For me, the only saving grace would be that it's not open at break.
I'd have a set day each week to get something.

[Ing777]

Thanks for all your replies. The shop is run by the PTA. The school promotes itself with a Healthy school logo. Even have a packed lunch policy where one cannot bring the very things they sell in the shop!! Mockery of having all policies in place. Will have to speak again to PTA and try. Have tried a couple of times before along with other parents but have hit a brick wall. Is there any government body etc that looks over this? i.e. food in schools who one can complain to. I know in this case it's the tuck shop but still should rules should apply.

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

Find out who wrote the lunch box policy and suggest that the tuck shop is incompatible with the policy.

Find out who awards the Healthy Schools Logo and speak to them directly about how to go about making this change.

It is a farce, as well you know!!!!

[paxillin]

They can only make money if the stuff they sell is attractive to the kids. So even if they sell football cards, bubbles and comics you are going to have to say no.

I tend to say on Monday "I will not buy any ice cream until Friday/ at all this week/ today, so please don't beg", we get an ice cream van outside the gates.